Shop OBEX P1 Docs P2 Docs Learn Events
Using old computer bits... (old computer parts in your projects...) — Parallax Forums

Using old computer bits... (old computer parts in your projects...)

Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,069
edited 2009-03-06 21:38 in Propeller 1
While looking through my box of old computer bits for a Hard Drive cable for use in one of my prop projects I came across some plastic standoffs. These work perfectly on my Prop Proto Board :-)

I have reterminated the Hard Disk cable (pulled cable off and split and recrimped in a vice). I am using the one cable to get 2 x 8 ports and 3V3 and Ground on 18 consecutive pins. The other end terminates in one 8 bit connector and one 10 bit connector using the old 2x20 cable connectors. The blanked out pin prevents cable reversal. I have two 2x10 pin Spin Studio style headers on my prop as described in one of the articles.

There are also lots of other goodies in old PCs. Cables to front panel LEDs, switches, jumpers (shunts) and pin stakes, MiniDin6 (PS2),·VGA, stereo and USB·connectors to be salvaged. Parts can be removed from the pcb (provided you dont want to use it again) by a small butane torch or equivalent - hold the pcb upside down, apply heat, tap the board on a hard surface and hopefully your part(s) might just fall out. Otherwise you will have to apply some pressure perhaps with a small screwdriver - you may need a friend to help. The usual caveats apply - use common sense and be careful not to burn yourself or helper.

I have seen an article (by OBC ???) describing some of these things before, but it's time to remind the newer folk.

Enjoy your experience with the Propeller cool.gif

I change the titled - hope this·makes more sense to Americans - lol

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Links to other interesting threads:

· Home of the MultiBladeProps:· SixBladeProp, TriBladeProp
· Prop Tools under Development or Completed (Index)
· Emulators (Micros eg Altair, and Terminals eg VT100) - index
· Search the Propeller forums (via Google)

My cruising website is: ·www.bluemagic.biz·· MultiBladeProp is: www.bluemagic.biz/cluso.htm

Post Edited (Cluso99) : 3/6/2009 6:07:55 PM GMT

Comments

  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2009-03-06 08:22
    LOL! Your title really threw me! To American ears "old computer bits" sounds like binary digits that have suffered somehow from aging or decay. It carries the logical dissonance as "old electrons".

    -Phil
  • MagIO2MagIO2 Posts: 2,243
    edited 2009-03-06 09:41
    Fist of all : Hi to everybody ... cos I'm new in Propeller programming and this is my first entry in this forum.

    I have tons of old boards of different devices ;o)

    ____________
    | LCD·········· |
    |················ | |···· <- scroll wheel 1
    ·················-- o··· <- additional button
    ·················^scrolling wheel 2

    Currently one of my ideas is to use the scrolling wheel of·two mice as input device. One beneath the LCD display horizontally, one besides the LCD vertically and one additional button makes a nice input device for PS3 like cross-bar-menus.

    Printers and scanners are nice as well. Stepper motors, light barrier, static RAM ...

    - Benky
    ·
  • BaggersBaggers Posts: 3,019
    edited 2009-03-06 10:08
    Hi MagIO2, welcome to the Forum [noparse]:D[/noparse] great idea also, and I look forward to your posted pics of it [noparse]:D[/noparse]

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    http://www.propgfx.co.uk/forum/·home of the PropGFX Lite

    ·
  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2009-03-06 14:01
    It's a great way to recycle! Now that warm weather has broken loose, it's about time
    to work my way through a large box of boards that has been collecting dust all winter.

    Here's the article I wrote about it.

    The most useful stuff I find in PCs are the frontface wires & connectors, cd audio cables,
    the various pin connectors on the motherboard, caps, clock batteries & holders, and the
    ps2 connectors. It's a good way to fill the parts bins, and honestly I've never had a cap
    fail due to the heatgun method of pulling from the old board.

    We should start a box of electronics from that goes from person to person
    where folks take what they need and add excess from their own findings.
    I wind up with tons of the same type of part as I'm in the PC business.
    (Priority mail boxes are free and fixed price (around $5.00) to mail in the US.)

    @MagIO2: Welcome to the Propeller! You are in for a great time.

    OBC

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    New to the Propeller?

    Check out: Protoboard Introduction , Propeller Cookbook 1.4 & Software Index
    Updates to the Cookbook are now posted to: Propeller.warrantyvoid.us
    Got an SD card connected? - PropDOS
  • SapiehaSapieha Posts: 2,964
    edited 2009-03-06 14:20
    Hi al.

    Most of my experiment use recycled PC and other systems components.

    To remove it I use Hot air

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Nothing is impossible, there are only different degrees of difficulty.
    For every stupid question there is at least one intelligent answer.
    Don't guess - ask instead.
    If you don't ask you won't know.
    If your gonna construct something, make it·as simple as·possible yet as versatile as posible.


    Sapieha
  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2009-03-06 14:27
    @Cluso99

    Why did you change the title?!!?? I love the international flavor here..
    Don't dumb it down for us. [noparse]:)[/noparse] [noparse]:)[/noparse]

    OBC

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    New to the Propeller?

    Check out: Protoboard Introduction , Propeller Cookbook 1.4 & Software Index
    Updates to the Cookbook are now posted to: Propeller.warrantyvoid.us
    Got an SD card connected? - PropDOS
  • trodosstrodoss Posts: 577
    edited 2009-03-06 15:19
    I frequently scavange/cannibalize old computer parts. There is always something lying around at work. Also, there are all sorts of tradeshow 'freebies' that come in handy. Vendors give away things like usb flash drives and other misc electronic gadgets. "Repurposing" them (rather than just throwing them out) is fun.

    The Computer Renaissance in my area has a 'mystery bin' that has random cables, wires, boards, etc., that they sell for very cheap. If you live on the east coast of the US, you could give OBC a visit [noparse];)[/noparse]
  • jazzedjazzed Posts: 11,803
    edited 2009-03-06 16:28
    Phil's thought is what came to my mind the first time I ever saw the moniker "Oldbitcollector" [noparse]:)[/noparse]

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    --Steve
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,069
    edited 2009-03-06 18:19
    I was a BitCollector (now Old but no longer a BitCollector). I had heaps of new gear, rolls of smt resistors, caps, SMT and DIP ICs, old pcbs and minicomputers, microcomputer kits (original 6800 D1 and D2), etc. We moved in 2000 (downsized into our holiday house) and again in 2004 basically onto a boat. So it had to go·sad.gif

    All 3 tons of it was sold for scrap - they shipped the minis - working 70's and 80's models back to China to recover the gold. Anyone remember core memory. One of the minis was full - a total of 110Kx6 bits and 4 (max 10) x 10MB 19" Disk Drives (A$16,000 in 1976), each the size of a washing machine !!! I used to teach engineers how to pull the old·drives (washing machines) apart and rebuild them in a week. Now they are $80-$200.·I now look at my USB drive $5 for 1GB and I can drop it and it still works !!!

    Now I have to go and buy a resistor or capacitor.

    Anyway, I digress. Yes there are a lot of parts from old computers that no longer work or are too slow.

    Another good accessory is the hot glue gun (about $6). Once again be careful not to burn yourself.
    Also, save your pin stakes and links (shunts) - you are going to need plenty on my TriBladeProp pcb if you want to change options easy, and they are handy on the PropProtoBoard too. The front push button switches clip in to the front panel·- use a small jewellers screwdriver to prise them out or cut a section from the front panel to keep them intact for your own panel. Pull your old non-working hard drive apart and have a look at how it works. The heads fly aerodynamically closer·than a fingerprint.···cool.gif

    OBC: I have changed the subject again. BTW your·link above points to a page that has a broken link on it to the exchange parts section.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Links to other interesting threads:

    · Home of the MultiBladeProps:· SixBladeProp, TriBladeProp
    · Prop Tools under Development or Completed (Index)
    · Emulators (Micros eg Altair, and Terminals eg VT100) - index
    · Search the Propeller forums (via Google)

    My cruising website is: ·www.bluemagic.biz·· MultiBladeProp is: www.bluemagic.biz/cluso.htm

    Post Edited (Cluso99) : 3/6/2009 6:36:32 PM GMT
  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2009-03-06 18:36
    Cluso99 said...


    OBC: I have changed the subject again. BTW your link above points to a page that has a broken link on it to the exchange parts section.

    Yes, the entire site (with the exception of the expo pages) is getting an overhaul.
    Moving toward a dynamic site design.

    OBC

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    New to the Propeller?

    Check out: Protoboard Introduction , Propeller Cookbook 1.4 & Software Index
    Updates to the Cookbook are now posted to: Propeller.warrantyvoid.us
    Got an SD card connected? - PropDOS
  • AleAle Posts: 2,363
    edited 2009-03-06 21:38
    I second the need for loads of heat to get the parts out of motherboards. They seem to use very small holes, tiny pads and a solder that melts with quite a high temp. I just have to cut the PCB to eliminate the heat dissipation power that the ground plane has, too. Loads of good stuff from old machines. I'll post some photos of my electronics lab at the uni (I'm supposed to do chemistry!)
Sign In or Register to comment.